Warning: This post contains “critical race theory.” and may be too “woke” to read in certain states and random school districts across the country.
“Double V” was the rallying cry of African Americans during the war - one V for Victory over fascism overseas - the other for Victory at home over racism. Championed by the Pittsburgh Courier, America’s largest circulation African American (AA) newspaper, beginning in February 1942 events were staged in AA communities across the nation in support of the campaign. For further details, see a short article by Henry Louis Gates https://www.pbs.org/wnet/african-americans-many-rivers-to-cross/history/what-was-black-americas-double-war/
Even Negro League baseball “pitched” in, holding games for the benefit of the campaign. see: “The Double Victory Campaign and the Campaign to Integrate Baseball” by Doron Goldman.
(As a historian and a scientist, I am quite continuously vigilant about avoiding plagiarism. Rest assure I’m not auditioning for a university presidency.)
Among the other indignities perpetrated in “separate but equal” WW2 America, AKA Jim Crow, were the happenings in Detroit. War workers were short supply in the auto industy, so the federal government made plans for migrating AA families to be housed in a newly constructed project, appropriately named after Sojourner Truth. The white community had other ideas.
After a bitter fight, AA families eventually moved in, as did persistent ill-will, which boiled over in June 1943 into a 1/6-sized race riot. FDR was forced to send in 6,000 troops to quell the violence. More than 400 were injured. Twenty-five black and nine white residents died. White policemen were responsible for the majority of the deaths of African Americans. Over a hundred trials ensued, all but three of the defendants were black.
I will leave you with one more sobering thought: during WW2, black people were expected to shed their blood for the war effort, but were not permitted to give it.
Irately yours,
SL
A very appropriate post for MLK Jr. Day.